• NGT-0811-2-7.indd - Nimbin Good Times

Crimewave hits Nimbin businesses
Nimbin village businesses
have been hit by a spate of
break-and-enters during July.
The robberies, all using the
same method in the dead of
night, have resulted in many
businesses, and at least one
community organisation,
being seriously out of
pocket, and facing more
expense to further upgrade
their security.
The Nimbin Auto Centre
and the Nimbin Recycling
Centre were worst hit, with
two robberies each within
two weeks, while main
street premises operated by
Nimbins Stoned Fish and
the Nimbin Community
Connections building,
the youth club at the
Community Centre, were
also targetted.
Amounts of money were
stolen in each case, as well as
easily carried goods, such as
tools and cigarettes.
Security systems at the
service station caught the
thief on camera (pictured),
a young male wearing
sunglasses, a light grey
hoodie with army-style green
pants, torch in mouth, his
gloved hand carrying his
block-splitter and garbage
bag of loot.
Proprietor Dave Basten
said, “He seemed to know
what he was doing.”
“After smashing the
toughened glass window,
he kept low, below where
our sensors were set, but
he freaked out when a car
went past and ducked his
head up, and that’s when
the alarms went off and he
bolted.”
The camera footage shows
him mounting the counter
to make his escape.
“We’ve fixed that sensor
problem,” Dave said, “but
it looks like I’ll have put
bars around the whole
place, which I’m not looking
forward to.”
Though the village has
rarely experienced this level
of sustained property crime,
the burglaries have brought
forth renewed calls for
increased night-time police
patrols.
Nimbin Chamber of
Commerce president Peter
Wise said, “It’s something
we’ve been after for years,
but we’re always told it’s a
matter of resources.”
Though no spokesperson
was available for comment
when NGT called, police
are understood to be closing
in on the perpetrator after
thorough, though belated,
crime scene investigations,
and information gained
from the public.
Anyone with further
information that may assist
police to apprehend this
thief, phone Crimestoppers
on 1800-333-000.
Get off your butt and get inspired to Do Something!
by Andy Gough
Jon Dee is on a mission,
a man possessed. Just
following Jon online through
Facebook or Twitter can be
exhausting. His website boasts
photos of him with a veritable
who’s who of celebrities and
dignitaries.
Jon was the 2010 NSW
Australian of the Year. He
is the founder and managing
director of Do Something! and
in 1991 he founded Planet
Ark with Pat Cash. Projects
initiated by Jon have inspired
millions of Australians in to
making positive social and
environmental change.
He instigated National
Recycling Week, the National
Recycling Hotline, and
recyclingnearyou.com.au which
is used by over a million
Australians every year. Jon also
founded World Environment
News, the world’s leading
environmental news service
used annually by eight million
people.
He has given 139 speaking
engagements on sustainability
since January 2010, and says
only two of those were to
‘green’ audiences, with most
being corporate.
When NGT catches up with
Jon he tells us he has a relative
in Lismore who he is “terrified”
of the carbon tax. Jon says she
is actually somebody likely to
be overcompensated under the
Jon Dee co-founded National Tree Day with Olivia Newton-
John, an event for which Australian volunteers have planted 15
million native trees and shrubs.
proposal. Jon’s message today is
that the carbon tax is nothing
to be scared of, and that it
should simply be considered as
a 10% energy tax, and that by
taking his ‘10% challenge’ then
householders can avoid the
impact of the tax altogether. A
corporate version is launching
soon, and Jon is very excited
that he has already got Richard
Pratt of Visy onboard helming
the project.
Jon believes that the
government has failed to
explain the carbon tax
adequately. He reckons
very few politicians actually
understand the carbon tax.
Jon thinks government would
be better served selling the
carbon tax as an energy
efficiency and resource levy.
He also congratulates the
Greens for wresting control
of renewables from Martin
Ferguson’s portfolio.
Jon says the media have
failed to ask the hard
questions, and have been
swallowing the scare stories
and spreading misinformation.
Jon thinks that we get the
politicians we deserve and
thinks Australians have
largely disengaged with the
political process.
He accuses the big polluters
of being ‘lazy organisations’.
If retailers and suppliers claim
that prices are rising due to
the carbon tax, Jon challenges
them to “prove it”. He says this
is the first legislation to make
business more resilient against
future resources.
Jon pulls out his iPad and
shows me some of his many
websites. “‘Do Something
near you’ launches in
September,” he says. “It’s like
an online Lions and Rotary
guide for young people,
providing a large repository of
community groups for people
to get involved with in their
local area.”
Just recently Jon has
collaborated with Olivia
Newton-John again to raise
awareness of the coal seam gas
issue. “I respectfully request
a national moratorium on
the coal-seam gas exploration
and mining in Australia
until all health, social and
environmental risks have been
fully explored,” she said in an
open letter to the media this
week.
Jon’s enthusiasm and
dedication to his cause(s)
are infectious, even as his
concentration and stream
of thought are often broken
by his two young daughters
interruptions. I’m convinced
he can recite this stuff in his
sleep.
I confess, I want his job.
Websites and resources
www.dosomething.net.au
www.tenpercentchallenge.com
www.jondee.com
www.recyclingnearyou.com.au
www.planetark.org/enviro-news
Page 2 The Nimbin GoodTimes
August 2011
Tina Fuller (B. AppSc - Optometry)
Now at Nimbin Community Centre
nimbin.goodtimes@gmail.com

Water supply to be cut
by Janine Wilson
Gr8 sk8 dates
Lismore City Council staff
have outlined a proposal to
disconnect Nimbin water
supply to 79 rural properties
and provide water tanks
in replacement at a total
estimated cost of $790,000.
The council’s executive
director of infrastructure
services, Garry Hemsworth,
said there had been no change
to the current management or
delivery of the water supply to
those residents or the broader
Nimbin community.
“What we have identified
is that the water supply
being delivered to those 79
consumers only will not meet,
and is unlikely to be able to
be upgraded to meet, the
Australian Drinking Water
Guidelines that will become
mandatory when the Public
Health Act 2010 is enacted,”
Mr Hemsworth said.
“The main reason for this
is because the new guidelines
take a multi-barrier zero-risk
approach to water quality and
to meet those requirements
significant upgrade works
would be required at the
Mulgum Creek Weir.
Council believes those works
would be unlikely due to the
time-frame, and the high
environmental value of the
site.”
Council staff are
recommending to council
that the Nimbin Rural Water
Supply should be declared
non-potable, which means
the water is not suitable
for drinking and culinary
purposes and that affected
consumers should be offered a
rainwater tank, where a tank
will be installed free of charge,
and those properties will be
disconnected from the water
supply.
The council operations
Lismore City Council has determined
to increase parking patrols in Nimbin in
response to a number of representations
made by local business people and
community members.
The council’s compliance co-ordinator,
Matt Kelly, said the representations mainly
highlighted concerns that the reported level
of parking non-compliance in the village was
making it difficult for community members
and visitors to the town to have fair access to
shops and facilities.
“In response to these representations,
council has determined to incorporate the
engineer, Paul Ellem, said the
proposal was the cheapest
option to address the risk
management requirements
resulting from change to
legislation under the Public
Health Act passed in 2010
and due to come into effect
in 2012.
In his report to council, Mr
Ellem said there had always
been water quality concerns at
Nimbin, where water is drawn
from the Gungas Road Weir
on Mulgum Creek to feed into
the DE Williams dam.
He outlined the problems
with turbidity that could not
be controlled during rainy
periods and a problem with
access to the weir during
floods if the chlorination of
the water stopped due to
mechanical failure. He said
the quality of the water could
not be controlled for these
particular properties during
rainy periods.
Mr Ellem said the council
cannot comply with the new
Act with respect to water
policy for rural consumers
between the weir and the dam.
He proposed that the council
disconnect 79 properties and
supply and install 45,000-
litre tanks at a cost of about
Gungas Weir from the air
Courtesy Google Maps
$10,000 per property, or a
total cost of about $790,000.
He has recommended
that the council begin
consultations with the
affected residents and start
negotiations for the provision
of rainwater tanks and current
service disconnection, and
that the council continues to
develop a long-term strategic
plan for a water supply to the
whole of Nimbin.
The funding for all works
undertaken in relation to the
Nimbin Rural Water Supply
will be sourced from the $3.3
million already allocated
for the strategic upgrade of
the Nimbin Water Supply
which is planned during
2011 to 2014. Those funds
are sourced from water usage
charges.
The council will be
considering a report on the
Nimbin Rural Water Supply
at its Ordinary Meeting on
9 th August 2011. Residents
or property owners who
have questions or comments
regarding this matter are
invited to contact Council’s
Customer Contact Centre
on 1300-87-83-87 or send an
email to council@lismore.nsw.
gov.au
Parking patrols coming
Nimbin Village Centre into its regulated
parking patrol program,” he said. “Routine
patrols will be undertaken in the village
centre on a regular basis.”
As a limited introductory phase to the
program, compliance officers will initially
provide warnings to road users who overstay
time-limited parking. This flexibility will
not be provided to no stopping, no parking
or accessibility parking areas.
The introductory phase will conclude and
the regulated parking patrol program will be
fully introduced, with all fines applying, as
of 1st September.
The community is invited to
attend the official opening
of Nimbin’s new skate park
in Peace Park on Thursday,
August 11, at 10 am.
Lismore City Council Mayor
Jenny Dowell said the park
been a great success for the
community, with a constant
flow of people making the
most of the purpose-built, alllevels
skate park since its soft
opening on June 25.
“The skate park has been a
hive of activity with a wide
range of people enjoying
the diversity of the skate
park design and its location
in the centre of town,” said
Councillor Dowell. “Nimbin
local graffiti artist, Zac Price,
recently painted the skate park
‘Code of Conduct’ and some
more general artwork onto the
cement surface and the whole
site is now looking colourful
and even more welcoming.
“It is very clear that this
is a great resource for the
village and the community
can feel justifiably proud to
have a facility like this in their
town.” Councillor Dowell
said she had even heard of one
skater who came all the way
from Wollongong to try the
Nimbin park out.
The skate park at Peace
Park was made possible
with $449,000 in federal
government grant funding.
Friends Of Nimbin
Skatepark (FONS) will hold
a fund-raising barbecue at the
park from 12-2pm on Sunday
21 st August.
Funds will go into the
FONS account for general
maintenance, with hopes for
a small shed for maintenance
equipment, barbecue, fridge
and lawn mower.
Donations can also be
deposited into the FONS
Summerland Credit Union
account in Nimbin.
FONS plans to hold these
social barbecues every third
Sunday (Nimbin Market
Days) for kids and adults to
get to know each other and
have a bit of fun and discuss
park improvements.
The group thanks Neil for
all his time and effort keeping
the park clean and tidy. Check
Laurelli and Julie help
Trout with the BBQ
out Slam Mags utube footage
or Recon Nimbin for footage
shot in the Nimbin Sk8park.
52 Cullen Street, NIMBIN
• Home of the Aquarius Loaf
• Sour dough breads including fruit loaf
• Spelt bread
• Fruit loaf
• Croissants
• Lots of pie varieties including vegetarian
• Coffee, tea and hot chocolate
• Lots of cakes, slices and treats
• Order your birthday cakes
Great food with lots of choice for everyone, including
gluten-free, vegan and carnivores.
We do everything the hard way - cut our own potatoes
to make chips, blend real local organic fruit to make
smoothies and create our own sauces.
We have great local coffee with great baristas.
“We are currently baking fresh bread from flour
ground at the Nimbin Community Grain Mill.
The wheat is organic and we are baking both
sour doughs and high tops.”
Phone (02) 6689 1769
www.nimbingoodtimes.com August 2011 The Nimbin GoodTimes Page 3

In your neighbourhood...
News from the Nimbin Neighbourhood and Information Centre
by Natalie Meyer,
Team Leader, NNIC
Work Development
Orders
The trial ended mid July
and the good news is the
program has been adopted
permanently. If you have
unpaid fines you may be
eligible to pay off your
fines via voluntary work at
NNIC. Book in to see our
Community Welfare Workers
to find out if you are eligible.
Warning! New Centrelink
penalty regime
Has commenced relating to
missed appointments. See
Venessa in our Centrelink
Agency for more info.
Towards a Sustainable
Nimbin
The Draft Plan is now
being finalised. Some of the
strategies are already being
progressed. Watch this space
and our website for more info.
Nimbin Solar Farm
To date we have generated
27,748kW of energy which is
in line with our projections.
The evaluation of the Solar
Farm Project is now available
on our website: www.nnic.org.au
Nimbin Bus Extension
The new bus runs
commenced on Monday 18th
July with a free Fancy Dress
Bus Party on the first 4.25
run into Lismore and back to
Nimbin.
The new finalised timetable
for Wallers bus runs between
Nimbin and Lismore is
available on our website
(Home – Sustainability –
Transport tab) as well as here
at the Centre.
Nimbin locals only can also
purchase MultiTix at NNIC
– 5 trips at $35 or 10 trips at
$70 (ie $7 one way reduced
from $9 one way). Ask at our
front desk.
Nimbin Food Security
Project The Grain Mill
rolled out on the 2nd July
at the Blue Knob Farmers
market’s First Birthday
celebration. It poured with
rain but you came in your
hundreds to celebrate the
achievement of the markets.
Well done to everyone
involved! We milled
everything we took with
us and interest in our new
community grain mill has
been high. This month the
Mill will come fully
on line and watch
out for it at Nimbin
Organics and ZoneOne
on Mondays, Nimbin
Organics on Wednesdays,
and the Farmers Market
every Saturday.
More details will be posted
on our website.
Food Security meetings are
on the last Thursday of the
month at 5.30pm at the Elmo
Room at NNIC, 71 Cullen
St – Come around the back
steps. Food always welcome!
Nimbin Ag Show
The Blue Knob Farmers
Market will be moving from
its usual location at Blue
Knob Hall to the Nimbin
Show Grounds to be part
of the Nimbin Ag Show on
Saturday 24th September.
The Grain Mill will be
there all weekend, as well
as information and updates
on the Nimbin Food
Security Project. We will
also be hosting the first
ever Sustainable Produce
Awards. Entry forms will
be in the Show Program
(out soon). There will be
ribbons for First, Second,
Third and Champion in
Show Sustainable Produce
exhibits. We encourage all
food producers including
backyard vege growers, to
enter exhibits in the Show.
Let’s fill that pavilion with
fresh local produce!
Nourishing Nimbin
Saturday 29th October – a
celebration of sustainable
local food. If you are
interested in helping or have
ideas for the day, or are a local
producer who would like to
be involved in showcasing
your produce, contact Guy
on food@nnic.org.au In the
meantime, get this date into
your diaries as it will be a
great event for all the family
and anyone into food. Which
we figure is most people!
Our Opening Hours
NNIC is open 10am to 4pm
weekdays. You can access
photocopying (inc colour),
fax, computers, newspapers
and other local and regional
information. You can also
drop in or telephone for an
appointment with one of our
welfare workers or with the
Nurse Practitioner (Drug
and Alcohol/Mental Health
issues), phone 6689-1692.
Always interested in expanding
by Jenny Creasy
Have you ever thought of having
a small vegetable or food stall,
or selling household items like lip
balms or shampoos made from herbs
or flowers you grow in your garden
The Blue Knob Farmers Market is
always interested in expanding the
range of produce and products we can
offer to our many loyal customers. We
have two categories of Stallholders,
those who grow produce on their own
farms and gardens, and “value added”
producers, like myself who make goods
like sauerkraut. Of course you can
have a mix of both. As a value added
stallholder, you can make or grow
your ingredients yourself or find them
locally. Many people have been put
off the idea of a small food business
because of a belief that you need to have
a commercial kitchen.
Fortunately we have been able to work
with Lismore Council to clarify that if
you are mostly retailing a product, ie at a
farmers market, then it is perfectly
ok to use your home kitchen. We have
drawn up a set of guidelines based on
our discussions with LCC. So if you
have had an idea running your head of
something that might fit into the
farmer’s market, come down and see us
on Saturday mornings or call Peter on
6689-7004.
Lishia, Miles and Wolfgang at the grain mill
Sharing Local Knowledge
Saturday 6th Aug 10am. Worm
Farming – Dean Huff
Worm farming is an excellent way to
turn kitchen scraps and lawn clippings
into soil conditioners that really
improve soil quality and fertility. Dean
has been involved with small-scale
worm farming for 15 years and has a
great deal of practical knowledge to
assist the beginning worm farmer. He’ll
be discussing; worm biology, feeding,
general care and worm farm design.
Saturday 13th Aug 10am. Tying
Practical Knots – Stuart McConville
Learn how to tie six simple everyday
knots and their practical applications.
Never trip over your shoelaces again
with the REAL double bow, join ropes
safely with a sheetbend, tie off a line
with a clove hitch, pull down a load with
a truckies hitch and put up a tent with a
running hitch. All knots guaranteed to
come apart easily WHEN you want
them to, not before. Lots of hands-on
practice during Stuart’s talk means you
get real, practical skills you can use.
Saturday 20th Aug 10am. Earth Bag
Building – Beccy
This low-impact, natural building
technique creates water and fire-proof
structures of great strength that
New bus service gets off
to a flying start
There was a party atmosphere at the
bus stops in both Nimbin and Lismore
(pictured) for the run of the first extra
bus service on 18th July.
An initiative of the Nimbin Chamber of
Commerce with the support of Wallers
Bus Company, the extra service has been
subsidised by a $45,000 grant from the
Ministry of Transport, which has allowed
fares to be reduced to $9/$4.50 each way,
or less with a multi-trip ticket.
New Mon-Fri bus times are: Nimbin-
Lismore 4.25 and 6.05pm depart;
Lismore-Nimbin 5.30pm; but it’s only
for a 12-month trial period, so use it or
lose it!
Basil growers
Sal and Jen
maintain stable interior temperatures.
Costs are kept low as building
requirements are mainly local earth,
bagging material, binding medium
(such as lime or clay) and some wire.
The size and shape of an earth bag
building is limited only by the skill and
imagination of the builders.
Beccy has completed basic instruction
in earth bag building (also called super
adobe) under the tutelage of teachers
trained at the Cal-Earth institute.
She’ll present her own experience in this
technique along with slides of her work.
Beccy, a grandmother, says; “If you can
lift an earth-filled flower pot you can
build with earth bag. You can adjust the
work to suit your own pace and level
of fitness.”
Saturday 27th Aug 10am Farmhouse
Cheese Making – The Soft Cheeses,
Feta and Quark – Jenny Creasy All
Day Workshop, registration required.
Contact Jenny on 0488-009-808.
Blue Knob Farmer’s Market, 9am to 1pm
every Saturday, runs rain, hail or shine.
Corner of Blue Knob and Lillian Rock
Roads, 8km north of Nimbin. Talks start
at 10am sharp. If you’d like to know about
future talks and Market news,
send your name and email to Jim at
uloborid8@gmail.com
Page 4 The Nimbin GoodTimes
August 2011
Nimbin Tax and Accounting
PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
Income Tax Returns – Individuals, Partnerships,
Companies, Trusts and Primary Producers
BAS & Bookkeeping Services
Business Software, Business Advice, Grant Acquittals
Weekdays 9am - 5pm, except Wednesdays 9am - 1pm
Saturday 9am - 1pm. Discount for Centrelink recipients.
Tel/Fax 6689-0470 Mobile 0427-855-077
Old Bank Building, 39 Cullen Street, Nimbin
(Next to Post Office – parking available)
PO Box 645 Nimbin 2480 Email pjh@lis.net.au
nimbin.goodtimes@gmail.com

CSG: Poison in our water
Submission to Public Hearing by Senate Rural Affairs Committee
by Trevor Crouch
Extracting coal seam gas from more than 80 sites in
Queensland and New South Wales is poisoning water above
and below ground.
Two such toxic sites, which have resulted in government
action, are the Arrow Energy wells, at Moranbah, west of
Mackay, and the Cougar Energy site, near Kingaroy.
The thousands of wells being planned will increase
the problem a thousandfold and destroy the lifeblood of
agriculture in this country, our underground water.
Coal Seam Gas cannot be extracted without poisoning water
supplies. Coal Seam Gas is methane bonded to the surface
of coal particles. (So-called natural gas exists in the space
between grains of sandstone and similar types of rock.)
The water which fills the coal seams keeps the gas in place
as a thin film on the coal. The water becomes heavily polluted
with heavy metals and toxic chemicals such as benzene,
toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene, but because it is not
disturbed it poses no threat to the environment, or to the subaquifers
which flow through the same areas with pure water.
To extract the Coal Seam Gas, a well is dug and the gas
– together with vast quantities of toxic water – is pumped out.
The water is released onto the surface where it contaminates
the natural flow of rainwater over the ground into streams, into
rivers, into dams, and into the tap in your kitchen.
There is no way of stopping this contamination.
The final coup de grace to our pure water supplies is
“Fracking”. This is the intentional fracturing of the coal seam
to release more methane by the high pressure injection of
enormous volumes of chemically treated water.
Much of this fracking water remains underground, where
it leaches into the sub-aquifers and poisons our underground
water.
Residents have raised serious concerns about the proposed
Metgasco gas pipeline from Casino to Ipswich, with fears that
it will damage agricultural land in the Richmond Valley and
the World Heritage Border Ranges National Park.
The pipeline will extend for 145km. “Metgasco plans to run
this pipeline along one of the steepest and windiest roads in the
region, the Lions Road through the Border Ranges NP, and we
simply do not believe that is possible without causing serious
environmental damage,” said Kyogle shire resident Boudicca
Cerese.
“The environmental record of Metgasco has raised alarm bells
– if they can’t even properly remediate a water storage pond
near Casino, then how can they be trusted to drive a major gas
pipeline through a World Heritage area”
Rural Fire Service volunteer Thorsten Jones says Lions Way is
a high slip area, which has been closed for weeks at a time after
rainy periods.
“This is an extremely sensitive area which will be severely
damaged by the proposed pipeline,” he said.
“Construction activities may include blasting with explosives
through rock and will lead to serious impacts on wildlife and
vegetation from heavy machinery operation, noise, dust and
erosion.”
Further south from the Border Ranges, Lynches Creek is one
of the most pristine in the region. “This will be placed at risk
from sedimentation and erosion where the pipeline crosses the
creek,” said Lynches Creek resident Leah Hobbs.
“We are also concerned about clearing adjacent to the creek.
Dairy farmers in the valley rely on this pure water to produce
quality milk that is consumed throughout the region.”
Ms Hobbs said residents were calling on state and federal
governments to reject this pipeline.
“Not only will it do direct and irreversible damage, but it will
The polluted water, which keeps the methane in place,
is also able to leach through these fractures into the
underground water.
In her recent report, Dr Mariann Lloyd-Smith, senior
advisor of the National Toxics Network, says we have
no idea what chemicals are being injected into our water
supplies because the mining companies claim such
information is a “trade secret”.
Dr Lloyd-Smith has been able to confirm the presence of
hydrochloric acid, glutaraldehyde, ammonium persulfate,
dimenthyl formamide, methanol, naphthalene, mineral oil,
potassium chloride and ethyl glycol, among others.
These will end up in the water we drink and the food we
eat. There is no method of preventing this happening if coal
seam gas extraction is allowed.
Professor Peter Doherty, of the University of Melbourne,
points out that many of the chemicals released into the water
supplies by fracking are volatile organic compounds, which
easily contaminate water and are released with water vapour.
He says it is well established that long-term exposure to
even small amounts of these chemicals can affect the bone
marrow of humans, causing anaemia and increasing the risk
of leukaemia.
There is already both State and Federal Legislation in place
to protect the environment – and with which Coal Seam Gas
Extraction cannot possibly comply.
All we ask is that this legislation be applied immediately,
and that Coal Seam Gas extraction be totally banned – or
you can look forward to a sign on our Great Artesian Basin
reading: “Poison Water – Unfit For Human Consumption”.
Trevor Crouch has a Diploma of Ag. Science and is an
agricultural journalist with a small farm at Bungendore near
Canberra.
Pipeline slated to go through park
View north from Razorback, the pipeline
would cross the ridge in the background
Gary Gilliland and Leslie
McQueen and son at
Collins Creek where the
pipeline would cross
open up the entire Northern Rivers to a massive expansion in
coal seam gas production. Our local communities intend to
fight this every step of the way.”
thersites richmondiana
Dam threat to
rare snail
A critically endangered snail, the Richmond River Keel
Snail, thersites richmondiana, has been discovered within
metres the wall construction zone of the proposed Byrrill
Creek Dam, and has been photographed at the site.
The snail, with a distinctive pyramid shape, was found on a
log amid deep leaf litter in bushland adjacent to Byrrill Creek,
south-west of Mt Warning in the Tweed Shire. It is the first
sighting of this snail in the Tweed area.
The Byrrill Creek snail was photographed and reported to
the Australian National Museum’s Australian Living Atlas
website by local resident and amateur wildlife photographer
John Morrison.
Mr Morrison said the snail was first spotted by his fiveyear-old
grandson, Rohan Morrison, during a garden
clean-up on his property. The living snail was returned to the
leaf litter beyond the garden area.
The area where the snail was found is connected by dense
bushland to Byrrill Creek about 200 metres upstream from
the site of the proposed Byrrill Creek Dam wall.
Mr Morrison said the find emphasised the importance of
the area for biodiversity conservation, and Tweed Shire mayor
Kevin Skinner’s push for the dam was a misuse of public
money.
The site was first considered for a dam in the 1970s but the
Clarrie Hall Dam was built on Doon Doon Creek instead.
During the drought of 1985, Tweed Shire Council pursued
a project to supply water to the Gold Coast and bought
a farming property at Byrrill Creek with the intention of
building the dam and selling water to south-east Queensland.
The NSW State government put a stop to that project,
and the pipeline to Queensland remains half-built. The land
purchased with ratepayer’s money at Byrrill Creek has since
been variously leased for cattle and planted out for hardwood
timber production.
Large areas remain as regrowth bushland which connects
Mebbin National Park with Wollumbin National Park.
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www.nimbingoodtimes.com August 2011 The Nimbin GoodTimes Page 5

Barkers Vale Public School is planning a
community event on Sunday 18th September
called Green Day, aimed at raising awareness
and understanding of the impact people have
on the environment.
It will be an outdoor festival of
environmental information and products as
well as live music, to be held in the Barkers
Vale school grounds in Wadeville.
Speakers include Stuart McConville, from
Pooh Solutions, talking about grey water,
septic tanks and composting toilets, and
Dolph Cooke talking about Biochar. Local
nutritional doctor Oscar Serrallach will also
be giving a talk on Healthy Soil, Healthy
Plant, Healthy Body.
Kids will have fun making scarecrows for
the veggie patch with Michelle Taylor, and
crafting wire crowns with Melissa. There will
Zac Jenson planting a mulberry tree
Green Day is coming...
be healthy home-made food served all day by
the school canteen.
Barkers Vale principal Dafydd Thomas said:
“Green Day will be a great opportunity to
showcase all the work we have done so far in
creating a sustainable school, and to raise funds
towards achieving the next steps.”
Green Day is being organised by parents
and volunteers, led by Wendy Jansen, who is
also the school’s environment officer. Wendy
is planning to allocate funds raised from the
event towards a new water tank, a fence, an
upgrade to the existing green house and an
outdoor sink and propagation area.
Anyone interested in getting involved
with Green Day, as a stallholder, speaker or
demonstrator, is asked to email Wendy Jansen
on greendaybvps@gmail.com or ring Barkers
Vale Public School on 6689-7202.
Tuntable Falls Community School
30th Celebration and Fete
Calling all Tuntable
Community Schoolers
Tuntable Falls Community
School turned 30 this year,
and in the springtime on
Saturday 17th September, we
are throwing a big party to
celebrate.
This party will be a fete
day, as they have traditionally
been a really enjoyable
gathering point of the wider
community.
We have heard some
wonderful stories of our
origins from interviews
that the children have been
recording around Tuntable
Community and we would
love to hear more of them.
We ask of the Nimbin
community that it rummage
around and root out those
old pictures, or film, of
the Tuntable Community
in the beginning of the
1980’s, especially anything
particularly to do with the
school. These will be part of
a display installation for the
celebration.
We also would like anyone
who knows any students or
teachers from the school from
any time in the last 30 years
to, please try to contact them
and let them know of the
celebration of their beautiful
little school – let’s see if we
can make it a reunion!
One of the loveliest relics
of the early school is the
exquisite little ivy covered
rock cottage cubby house
situated at the very front,
which we understand was
originally a women’s project
to build.
It would be a very good
thing if we could repair this
cubby to its former splendour.
We have had to re-roof this
gorgeous little house and it
sports a shiny new tin roof
and is begging for shingles to
Photo by Sue Stock, 1985
be put back on top, but also
the floor is rotting and the
children sadly cannot play
in it as it has become unsafe
until it is fixed. What we
would like at the very least
is some advice on shingle
making and materials needed,
at the most a work party of
dedicated individuals who
would like to restore the
cottage cubby. Either would
be much appreciated.
Interested people are
encouraged to contact the
school on 6689-1423 with
their intent and we will go
from there, it would take
maybe a week’s work on the
outside to completely do the
tiny roof and little flooring
area but what a difference it
would make to the children
and the returning students on
the big day.
Any suggestions are
welcome on how we could
make this a very special day
for all concerned. Love from
the present school body.
Most Sustainable Produce
in 2011 Nimbin Show
Most Sustainable Produce
in 2011 Nimbin Show
Are you are a local sustainable agricultural producer We
welcome you to showcase your innovations at the 2011 Nimbin
Agricultural Show! Get Your Entry Forms In for this NEW and
EXCITING Inaugural Exhibit Category.
Sustainable = the production has minimal negative or even a
positive impact upon the environment, & practices may include
water conservation and recycling, use of organic fertilisers/
soil improvement methods, organic pest management, animal
husbandry with strong focus on animal welfare and land care.
Entries will be accepted for all food/agricultural produce. Entries
can be submitted for an entire farm or operation. More than one
entry can be submitted. Judging will be based on the sustainability
of production practices, and not the quality of any products.
Entries Close: 31 August 2011
Entry Forms Available at: Nimbin Neighbourhood and Info Centre
71 Cullen St Nimbin 2480 nimbinnic@yahoo.com.au or download
from our website www.nnic.org.au
Queries to Nat or Guy on 6689-1692
Page 6 The Nimbin GoodTimes
August 2011
nimbin.goodtimes@gmail.com

A family fun day for everyone
Celebrate Spring at Rainbow Ridge’s Open Day
With Spring just around the corner, our local Steiner
primary school, Rainbow Ridge at Lillian Rock, invites the
wider community to help celebrate the change of season by
coming along to our annual Spring Fair on Saturday 10th
September from 10am to 3pm. It’s the best opportunity
you’ll have all year to see what a Steiner school is all about.
There’s something quite magical about walking into a
Steiner school. Classrooms that radiate harmony and love,
students’ work that resonate with colour and life, and people
- staff and parents - who share a deep-seated belief in the
importance of education.
Beautiful classroom displays, great live music, craft activities
and stalls, fun games, children’s performances, delicious food
and good coffee all combine to make this event one of the
highlights of the school calendar.
Visit our classrooms, talk to our teachers, buy quality toys
and craft all made with love and care by our parent craft
group, and browse books that will leave you wanting to delve
deeper.
And if that’s not enough, visit our kindergarten - you’ll be
wishing on every shooting star to have your time as a fiveyear-old
all over again. We look forward to meeting you
there!
Please feel free to contact the school for any more
information: Rainbow Ridge School, 279 Lillian Rock Rd,
Lillian Rock NSW, 2480 phone: (02) 6689-7033, email:
www.rainbowridge.nsw.edu.au
Early skateboard crew
Nimbin Preschool doings
There’s a buzz at Nimbin Preschool as
the children and staff prepare for the
preschool’s first Art Auction to be held
at Blue Knob Hall Gallery on Friday
26th August.
The exhibition, titled Memories of
Childhood will showcase the children’s
artwork alongside artworks from
community members. The artworks,
Hilde starting to
paint her owls
Nimbin Central School
will proudly host the Early
skateboard crew this month,
with the view to educating our
local students about safety.
Early skateboards will
present gripping safety videos
on why you should wear
a helmet, plus a few Early
skate videos featuring locally
sponsored talent, followed by
a coaching session by Flavio
Biehl. Byron’s Dancing Tommy
of YouTube fame will also be
heading out to Nimbin as an
many of which will be for sale on the
night, form a visual landscape of what the
children have been talking about during
the last few months at preschool.
As with children’s artwork, the
emerging themes may be similar, but the
interpretation varies a great deal. It is
through the interpretation that we can
see the individual child emerging from
the colours they choose, to the style that
they adopt.
At Nimbin Preschool children have the
opportunity to work on many of their
artworks over time. Children are given
space to re-think their ideas, re-visit their
designs, and to formulate new plans and
directions for their artworks.
The natural environment is of great
importance at Nimbin Preschool, and
this continues to be an inspiration to the
children and staff for ongoing artworks.
During the past few months the use of
natural fibres has been explored through
felting and weaving experiences. We
continue to offer a high quality playbased
program that is always drawing
Early artist guest.
Internationally recognised
downhill skater Austin Nitsua
is stoked to bring Early
skateboards to Nimbin.
This is a wonderful
opportunity for students to
meet learning outcomes in
a rich learning environment
while taking full advantage of
our local skate park.
Already there is excitement
building for what will be an
electric day. Thankyou to all
those involved.
Cienna drawing eyes on her owl
upon the emerging interests of our
children. We encourage families to come
down and visit us at the showground.
There are limited vacancies for this
term, and we are currently taking
waiting list applications for 2012.
We cordially invite all community
members to come along to the Memories
of Childhood Art Auction at Blue Knob
Hall Gallery on Friday 26th August
from 6pm opening, and 7.30pm for
auction. For dinner reservations phone
6689-7449.
Sending Hope
Ra Ra Youth Theatre at The
Channon, together with a
group of local young actors,
have written a play about
children seeking asylum in
Australia.
The play ‘Sending Hope’
has been written and will be
performed by teenagers aged
11-15.
Ra Ra Youth Theatre will
donate the funds raised
from this sometimes funny,
moving and mature piece of
theatre to the 1041 children
currently being detained
in mandatory detention in
Australia.
The students have been
writing to children inside
detention and have used
the letters in their play.
The money will be donated
to children in Detention
Centres and to The Letter
Writing Project.
‘Sending Hope’ will
performed in The Channon
Hall at 6pm on Friday 12th
and Saturday 13th August.
With tickets only $10 or $20
for a family, this is a great
way to support youth theatre
and a good cause.
For more info, contact Ra
Ra Youth Theatre director
Tamlin Mackenzie on
6688-6551.
FOR APPOINTMENTS
Tel 6689 1000
At
Choices Cafe
the first customer of
the day gets her/his
drink for free
Open daily
www.nimbingoodtimes.com August 2011 The Nimbin GoodTimes Page 7